Epsilon Eridani Crisis
The Epsilon Eridani Crisis was a confrontation between the Sezhri Consortium, the Terran Imperium, and miners on the planets Rianon and Arkhon (in the Epsilon Eridani system) in July and August of 453, during the brief reign of Terran Emperor Nikolai Rodriguez. The event began with a widespread but simple miner's strike on the two worlds. Avarik Mining, Inc., the company operating most of the mines on the worlds, attempted to resolve the situation on its own, but was unable to contain the situation. The company then asked for assistance from the Sezhri government. Talks were initiated, but quickly broke down, and the Consortium responded by blockading the two planets. International outcry began immediately, with the strongest protests coming from the Terran Imperium and its new leader. The Crystali remained strangely silent throughout the incident, but every other nation called on the Sezhri to stand down and at least allow shipments of foodstuffs to the settlements. The Consortium ignored all exhortations until the Ares Federation threatened an embargo against all Sezhri goods. The Imperium and the Outcast Confederacy soon followed suit, and at this the Sezhri relented slightly and allowed food to be taken to the miners, but only after a thorough inspection of all ships. The blockade, however, remained. The Terran Imperium eventually threatened military intervention if the Consortium could not find a peaceful solution to the problems on the two worlds. There were several days of silence from the Sezhri, and on August 16, an Imperial fleet emerged from the Void on the edge of the system. A tense standoff ensued, but neither side opened fire. When the mining population learned of the Imperial presence, a riot began in the settlement of Bloodtown, on Arkhon, and what became known as the Bloodtown Massacre followed. Every Consortium soldier and official in the small city was found and executed, along with a few miners who had vocally opposed the strikes. At this point the Sezhri Conclave ordered its fleet to withdraw, and the legislation that had initiated the strikes was repealed. The Imperial fleet likewise withdrew back to Terran space, and the incident ended, though memories and ramifications of the event continued long afterward. The crisis ranks as one of the largest confrontations in galactic history, and is generally regarded as the moment in which the Terran Imperium and Sezhri Consortium came closest to an interstellar war. The two nations have never engaged in open conflict. Background Unlike the Outcast Confederacy, the Sezhri Consortium has always been very strict with its regulations on the mining industry. Various standards were maintained concerning the state of the atmosphere, the number of hours laborers were permitted to work, the extent to which lines of credit could by formed by miners, bankruptcy policies, and so on. The roots of the crisis began when the Conclave ruled that while it was illegal to keep miners employed until any debt to them was paid off, a transfer from the planet or to a different position didn't absolve workers from their outstanding payments. Furthermore, a declaration of bankruptcy only eliminated debt to a certain point; i.e., it carried a deductible. For most outside the industry, it was a small change and insignificant--miners could still get off the planet, eliminate most of their debt, and pursue a different life if they so chose. The miners on the two worlds, however, saw it differently. Several meetings were held among community leaders on both planets, culminating in a council of leaders from both Arkhon and Rianon. The discussions lasted for three days and ended in a resolution for planetwide mining strikes. Although not every single mine in the system was owned by Avarik Mining, all miners were affected by the new legislation, and were therefore willing to go along with the majority. The strikes began on July 12, 453. Negotiations Avarik Mining representatives immediately met with the Miners Council, as it called itself, and assured them that the new laws would have no effect on their operations or fiscal policies; it would conduct affairs as if the prior legislations were still in place. The miners, naturally, were distrustful of their claims. The company had made promises before that had not been fulfilled, specifically concerning standards of living conditions. With their promises in such doubt, Avarik then offered each miner a sum in exchange for returning to work. The numbers were significant--enough to halve the debts most miners had acquired. The Council, however, informed the company that it wasn't interested in being bought off, but instead wanted the legislation remanded. Avarik replied that it had no say over such things, to which the Council in turn responded that the corporation's lobbyists were normally very successful at achieving their aims. One day of inaction followed, and then the Council broke off all negotiations with the company. Avarik Mining officially requested the assistance of the Consortium on July 19. A government negotiator arrived on the 22nd, and the next day met with the Miners Council. Although he had been apprised of the situation, he was nevertheless shocked to discover that the Council would settle for nothing other than a complete repeal of the new law. He attempted to find another solution that would satisfy them, but after an entire day of discussion, no progress had been made. The next day he reported to the Conclave on the situation, and then waited for instructions. Instructions, however, never came. The Consortium sent a fleet. Blockade A full Sezhri fleet arrived on July 27 under the command of Fleet Admiral Barrek Telladorn, comprised of seven ''Vuran-karo'' Battle Dreadnaughts, two Nebula Heavy Starcraft Carriers, thirteen Dragon Cruisers, and various other support-role craft, including fighters. Blockades were formed around both Arkhon and Rianon, screening the planets and preventing all ships of any type or purpose from landing or leaving. International outcry at the Consortium's response began almost immediately, with the Terran Imperium offering the most outspoken objections of all. The Sezhri largely ignored the protests and continued with their solution. Telladorn said in a brief address to the Sezhri Conclave via hologram on July 31 that he was "confident that the strikes will break up soon under the pressure of the blockade. They'll realize shortly that they've gotten in over their heads." Telladorn, however, was proven wrong. As early as August 1, blockade runners and smugglers began making daring runs through the gauntlet of the Sezhri fleet, sometimes with the result of completely fried electronics from multiple EMP torpedo detonations. A small number of ships were destroyed, but many ships managed to get through without being slagged or disabled, and the supplies they brought the miners lent the strikes new vigor. The ''Rigel's Blade'', briefly one of the most famous smuggling ships in the galaxy, made a series of four supply runs into Bloodtown before the crisis ended. At this time, Reuben and Sarah Eldreyu were crew members on the vessel. On August 5, the Ares Federation threatened the Sezhri Consortium with an embargo if the blockade continued. At this the Conclave finally allowed Telladorn to relent slightly, and food and medical supplies were allowed through to the worlds. Strict scans were conducted of any incoming vessels, however, to prevent any commercial items or more importantly, weapons, from getting through to the miners on the planets' surfaces. The Imperium, however, remained dissatisfied with the progression of events and on August 8, Terran Emperor Nikolai Rodriguez threatened military intervention in the Epsilon Eridani system if the Consortium's blockade wasn't removed. The Sezhri made no official response to this statement, but Admiral Telladorn was instructed to bring his crews to a heightened state of readiness. The Admiral also began sending fighter patrols out farther afield, and posted picket ships at the edges of the system. ''Ultimatum'', one of the seven Vuran-karos ''in the system, was moved into orbit around Silya, a completely terraformed world, major population center, and the hub of activity in the system for everything not pertaining to the mining industry. On August 16, a Terran fleet emerged from the Void at the edge of the Epsilon Eridani system. Its firepower was nearly equal to that of the Sezhri fleet, but as the two groups of warships closed on each other, an exchange took place between the two commanding officers of the fleets, as follows: 'Fleet Admiral Barrek Telladorn (Sezhri):'' Imperial vessels, this is Fleet Admiral Barrek Telladorn. Be advised that you have entered Sezhri space. This system is temporarily under military control due to labor difficulties. Assistance was not requested of the Terran Imperium, and neither is it needed. Therefore, I must ask all Imperial warships to depart the system immediately. If you do not, I will be forced to view your arrival as an incursion on Consortium space and respond accordingly.'' ''Legatus Aaron Lawson (Imperial): Admiral, I'm Legatus Aaron Lawson of his Imperial Majesty Nikolai Rodriguez's Navy. I am likewise to inform you that unless this blockade of Arkhon and Rianon is ended, I have been authorized to use any means necessary to force that end. '' ''Telladorn: Legatus, you and your forces are infringing upon Sezhri space with over two dozen warships. You're interfering in internal Sezhri politics'' and, quite frankly, we're sitting on the edge of the biggest interstellar war that ever had a chance to happen. I agree that we have some talking to do, but above all else, in the meantime tell your gunners to keep their trigger fingers loose. ''Lawson:'' ''I understand you, Admiral. '' ''Telladorn: Glad to hear it. I'll tell my gunners the same. Now, Legatus, as I'm sure you're aware, due to your Emperor's announcement we've been expecting you. I have, however, been given no instructions by my government on how to proceed should the current events take place. As a result, my default actions are to give you the warning I mentioned a few seconds ago, and to act on it. Given the size of your fleet and the time the calculations for going to the Void will take you'', ''I'm permitted four hours before I'm obligated to attack your fleet in defense of Consortium space. '' ''Lawson: I see. My instructions detail that unless the Sezhri blockade of Arkhon and Rianon are clearly broken up within twenty-four hours of my arrival, I'm to engage your forces. '' ''Telladorn: Did Nikolai seriously think the Consortium would allow an Imperial fleet in their space for twenty-four hours uncontested?'' ''Lawson: Apparently. '' ''Telladorn: Forgive me, Legatus, but is your emperor goddamn insane?'' ''Lawson: That's not the subject at hand, Admiral. How do we keep this from going to war? I'm stuck with a couple hotheaded Vuran-karo captains who are just itching for me to give the fire order. Neither of us want that. '' ''Telladorn: Correct.'' ''Lawson sheepishly: Are there any allowances for foreign inspections of the system, by chance? A checkup on whether the Dragon Summit ban on cloning is being upheld?'' ''Telladorn: That's espionage, Legatus. No two ways about it. Maybe your ship could have an equipment failure that causes your navigation systems to go down for several hours. It would then be permissible for me to extend the period for which you're allowed to remain in Sezhri space. '' ' 'Lawson: '''What about the twenty-four-hour mark? ''Telladorn: One bridge at a time, Legatus.' '' ' ''Lawson: '''Right. I'll get an equipment failure going. It might also leak into the communications system and erase the record of this conversation. '' ''Telladorn:' It would be horribly coincidental if such a thing were to happen on my ship as well, wouldn't it? '' 'Lawson: '''It would be quite extraordinary, Admiral. '' 'Telladorn: '''But not too extraordinary. '' 'Lawson:' No, not too much. Lawson out. '' The Bloodtown Massacre :Main article: ''[[The Bloodtown Massacre|''The Bloodtown Massacre]] Purge The equipment failures were carried out by the two admirals as planned in an effort to delay any violent incidents. In the now nine instead of four hours Telladorn allowed the Imperial fleet, the residents of Arkhon learned of the Terran fleet's presence. At approximately 2215 hours CGT, community leaders in Bloodtown met briefly before launching a city-wide purge of any Consortium troops or personnel on the ground, known as the Bloodtown Massacre. The event took place in barely twenty minutes, leaving over nine thousand dead. Miners used all manner of weaponry, ranging from improvised items and mining equipment to blunt weapons and firearms. One group of Sezhri troops held out in a security checkpoint for twenty-eight minutes against the rioters, but were ultimately killed along with all other government employees in the city. By 2325 hours, swarms of Sezhri soldiers were making landfall in Bloodtown to bring the situation back under control. More violence resulted, but the miners were quickly overwhelmed and martial law imposed. Osiris While troops were descending from the Sezhri fleet, Admiral Telladorn issued an order for the leaders of the riots to be rounded up to stand immediate trial. In the chaos on the ground, however, the leaders were able to elude capture for some time, and shortly after midnight they found a haven with Samar Jawad, captain of the freighter ''Osiris'' and an employee of Liam Redigan, the smuggler and information broker. Jawad took the miners aboard the ship and took off immediately, without clearance and risking the attack of any Sezhri forces in the area. The Osiris ''flew to the opposite side of the planet before leaving the atmosphere, where the blockade was sparse, due to the concentration of forces the Sezhri fleet had begun after the appearance of the Terran forces in the system. The freighter was ordered to stop, and when it refused, was fired upon by the Verdict-class Light Frigate [[Redrullu|''Redrullu]]. The Osiris ''made it past the Consortium fleet, however, and jumped to the Void shortly thereafter. Its destination is unknown, as is the fate of all aboard. Officially, the ship and all aboard are listed as presumed dead in a Void accident. It is far more likely, however, that all aboard were given new identities by Liam Redigan's operations, and that the ship was modified and given a new IFF signal. The Sezhri Consortium was furious about the incident and the escape of wanted criminals from justice. The name ''Osiris ''or any variant of it was barred from starship registration logs, and for a time, neither Redigan or any of his ships were allowed in Sezhri space, despite the fact that no links between him and Captain Jawad were ever proven. Fifteen years later, Redigan named the flagship of the Windsorian forces in the War of Redemption the [[Osiris II|''Osiris II]], in honor of the original. Withdrawal At 0210 hours on August 17, the Sezhri Conclave communicated with Admiral Telladorn. Within minutes Telladorn commed Legatus Lawson of the Terran fleet, but the contents of both communiques are unknown. By 2225 hours, the Terran fleet had left the system for Earth, and only an hour and twenty minutes later the Consortium fleet also left after picking up a portion of the ground troops on Arkhon. One Vuran-karo ''Battle Dreadnaught and a few other ships were left behind, but these were only to maintain the standard guard given to the system. Aid immediately flooded onto Rianon and Arkhon, with an uneasy peace maintained by the Sezhri forces. On August 20, the Conclave repealed the legislation that initiated the miners' strikes, and much of the furor among the laborers died down. Aftermath The political echoes of the Epsilon Eridani Crisis lasted long after the event itself faded from the immediate memories of society. The Imperial reaction to the situation was what prompted the popular coup d'état that ousted Nikolai Rodriguez from power and reinstated Empress Rebecca Windsor II. In the short term, however, Legatus Lawson was dishonorably discharged from service, though he was brought back upon Rebecca's return to power. On the thirtieth anniversary of the Crisis, in 483, Lawson was accorded membership in the Legion of Honor, the Imperium's highest award. The event became a perennial source of national embarrassment for both the Terran Imperium and the Sezhri Consortium. Every Arbiter on the Sezhri Conclave failed to be reelected in the next set of elections, with only a single exception. The shame over the Crisis among the Sezhri was so great that Captain Jawad of the ''Osiris ''became a highly-admired figure among laypeople, although those in political and military circles remain cold toward the situation. The events in Epsilon Eridani also led to the appointment of a liaison from the miners themselves to the Conclave, not merely lobbyists from mining corporations. Admiral Telladorn was only honored posthumously, on the fiftieth anniversary of the standoff. Historical Notes The exchange between Admiral Telladorn and Legatus Lawson included above was only revealed upon Telladorn's death in 502 NE. A recording of the conversation was discovered on a highly-encrypted hard drive. Lawson, who was still alive at the time, made no comment on the recording, and he was not charged by the Imperium. Media Despite the high profile of the Epsilon Eridani Crisis, a surprisingly small amount of media exists relating to it. This likely is as a result of the Sezhri hesitancy to speak frankly about the subject, and much of what exists draws more heavily from Terran sources. *''And the Galaxy Shifted Centers (book) *''And the Galaxy Shifted Centers'' (documentary) *''Nikolai Rodriguez and the Epsilon Eridani Crisis'' (book) *''Bloodtown Dreams (film)'' * The Silent Guns of Summer (book) Category:Military Engagements